A short moment
by Yonokom
Summary: There are a few times Zack lets his feelings show a little bit more than they should. Sometimes Cloud is compliant.
1. A short Moment

**A short moment**

Zack walked through the entrance to ShinRa headquarters, running a hand through his spiky, dark hair wearily, just having returned from a day long mission. Or rather, a day long monster hunt. Never found the monster and after a night in Kalm, he was sent back to base.

While planning what he would spend the rest of the afternoon doing, he walked back to the SOLDIER levels, intending to pass his standard SOLDIER apartment, maybe find Kunsel if he didn't have a mission of his own.

He stepped into the elevator and pressed his floor button. It ascended, and stopped halfway up where more people entered the small space, and he though, _this might be fun_, when he noticed the cadets' admiring stares. But in the spare second he looked beyond the entering grunts, he changed his mind as he saw a bundle of blonde spikes moving down the white hallway.

Zack quickly trotted out of the elevator, just as the doors closed and continued its ascent, and quickly followed the direction of the blonde hair.

He immediately stopped his steps when he spotted the person when he went around the corner. On the other side of the widden space that made the training cadets' lounge room, by the bulletin board on the wall, stood the person he was hoping for and scanned the notes.

Zack smirked impishly and quietly sneaked up from behind and wrapped his arms around the blonde's waist when he was within arms-length and pulled him into his chest.

Cloud took a startled breath and whipped his head around and instantly relaxed and fell into the embrace when he saw it was Zack.

Zack grinned and nuzzled his face against the blonde spikes and breathed his scent.

"Hi," Cloud wisphered awkwardly after a moment.

"Hi," Zack said back and chose to ignore the slight discomfort he knew bothered his friend.

"Welcome back." Zack smiled softly, almost dejected, thinking it would be nice if he'd ever be welcomed home instead of just back to the building.

"I missed you," he told the boy and he was sure the younger wore a soft blush. Cloud shifted against him in an uncomfortable fashion.

_I love you_, he could say, but it would cross the line. This was as far as he get, if Cloud allowed it.

When Zack let go, they returned to their normal rutine, and ignored the moment that had just transpired.


	2. WinterCold

Contrary to many of his fellow cadets and friends belief, Cloud didn't like cold. In fact he detested it as much as the fact he hadn't become a SOLDIER yet. He especially didn't like cold rooms, winter-cold rooms specially, as it made his nose and throat hurt as he breathed.

And that's what he told Zack the day he received a cold due to the morning-chilly, and unheated barrack dorm one November's day. And apparently Zack was one of the people with the prejudice that northern mountain inhabitants favored cold winter to warm summers, and Cloud smacked Zack on the arm as an answer, along with an explanation that he doesn't like hot weather either.

With a runny nose and the occasional cough, Cloud made it through three days of training and lecturing. That's when Zack popped up with a large box in his arms.

"What is that?" Cloud asked.

Zack grinned, showing of his teeth and replied, "A heater. So you won't be so cold in the night."

Cloud felt touched beyond words. But he found a slight problem with the present: there was no way it would be allowed in the dorms.

"Then slack at my place," Zack answered with a shrug. Cloud had protested of course, but found himself sleeping at Zack's place when he had leave, and when he thought he could get away with it (and sometimes when Zack convinced him he would be excused in the morning) through the winter.

Though it made Cloud uncomfortable in the strangest way, he was convinced Zack's body heat did him more good than the heater ever did.

* * *

Orginally I hadn't planned to make another chapter, but I went through one of my old note books, saw this small one-shot, wrote it down on my computer and then thought that it fit in an odd way. I changed the ending just a little-little small bit and it fit just about perfectly with the concept in 'A short moment'. And two of these people that have commented wanted me to continue (though I had absolutely no intention of doing so) and I thought "why not, I'll still upload it as a seperate story." So this is for you (the anonymous sunset in love and Skiestrife). And if you two read this, I hope I didn't disappoint too much. (And that it ends on a bettter note.)

(It's too short, I know.)


	3. Rare Evenings

Zack observed Cloud while laying on the couch. Cloud was doing his thing, fretting over papers and lessons. Cloud was mostly self-sufficient studying. He had asked Zack two or three questions.

From experience, Zack knew Cloud wouldn't remember most of anything he studied after the test. Zack had spent hours and bothered a load of his trusty platoon mates while studying, passed all the tests , and ended up getting re-lectured while under Angeal's mentorship.

Zack watched TV or watched Cloud. But as much as he loved Cloud, it gets boring watching a person sit quietly at a table and write on paper.

"Cloud, let's take a break and do something else," Zack yawned.

Cloud looked up from the books and papers, and gestured with his hands while he said, "What exactly? I have a test coming up, and these books are giving me a headache with all their mumbo jumbo. I have to decode them until then."

"Trust me, alright. Take a break and they will make sense in no time. Grab a beer and join me here."

Zack slapped a spot on the couch he made free as he scooted up and leaned against the arm-rest in a half-sitting position.

Cloud sighed, but left his homework and grabbed a green can from the fridge and sat down next to Zack, joining him in his TV watching.

Cloud suddenly remembered he had a curfew to catch, but after checking the time, Zack decided Cloud should just stay over the night. Cloud quickly agreed, because Zack's bed was damn comfortable. His spare bed wasn't that bad either.

When the clock struck half past eight, when the last curfew call would be announced, Cloud got up and put a bag of popcorn into the microwave. He returned to the living room with two new beer cans, waiting for the popcorn to pop.

As Cloud was about to sit down again, Zack reached out his arms and grabbed Cloud's waist and pulled the younger into him. Cloud startled before he laughed and tried to break free from Zack's hold around his waist, but the fight didn't last long before Cloud gave up and leaned against the older man.

They returned to watching the television, but Zack was distracted from time to time as he was very aware of how close and comfortably Cloud was leaning into him. Soon he felt Cloud entirely rest his head against his shoulder. Zack couldn't resist leaning his cheek against the top of Cloud's head. It was too convenient.

As the drama ended, Zack discovered Cloud had fallen asleep against his chest. Zack grinned, too happy with the blonde trusting him enough to relax like this despite everything Zack felt for him.

Zack continued to watch the TV as the shows grew lamer and lamer until he went to sleep as well. He carefully maneuvered Cloud to lift him to the bedroom and lay him on the bed.

Even though it would not be the first time they shared a bed, Zack decided he would take the couch that night.


End file.
